Friday, March 22, 2013

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

This month, we are
pleased to present information on the Saturday night entertainment:

Bobby
Blackmon!

Feeling
the Blues?

Join FFEDA at our 50
Years with FFEDA Celebration Dinner on Saturday
night, June 22nd and let Bobby Blackmon croon those blues away!

Bobby Blackmon is an
entertainer with a talent for contemporary Southern soul, blues and
classic R&B. Bobby's career began in the Southwest in the small town
of Athens, Texas. He played in many house bands and worked as a sideman
with many well known blues and R&B artists before making his home
base in Central Florida. His band includes: Bobby (Guitar & Vocals),
Jack Bumgarner (Keys), Jimmy Seay (Bass) and Terrance Jenkins (Drums).

Blackmon gained many new
fans when he was a co-headliner with Buddy Guy at the House of
Blues-Orlando in 2006. In May 2010, he opened for the legendary BB King
in Orlando. Bobby's band performed at the BB King's Club in Orlando two
nights a week from 2008-2012. In March 2013, he opened for
the Robert Randolph Band at the City of Orlando's Blues & BBQ event.

Bobby has shared the stage
with many other blues artists at festivals and comes from a long line of
polished blues guitarists from Texas. His band is the premier
choice in Central Florida for private parties, festivals and nightclubs.

Bobby is based out of
Leesburg where his fans gather each year to catch his band at the annual
Mardi Gras & Bikefest. Check out his website at www.myspace.com/beautifulbobbyblackmon and hear songs
from his 3 CDs.

You can also hear his most
recent CD, Yeah
Baby-Chillin With The Blues which is a mixture of
downhome to southern soul blues at www.cdbaby.com/cd/beautifulbobbyblackmon. Bobby's
CD was picked as a Pick To Click on satellite XM/ Sirius BB King's
Bluesville radio show. His music is played on numerous blues stations
throughout the USA. His band also has numerous live performances videos
on www.youtube.com.

You'll be sure to enjoy
one of the best live shows in the business when you attend Bobby
Blackmon's high energy show at the FFEDA 2013 Annual Conference, Trade
Show & 50th Anniversary Celebration!

If you would like to forego participation in the golf tournament, but would still like to support The Children's Burn Foundation of Florida, you can make a donation to the Charity either onsite or prior to the conference. We will collect all contributions made through FFEDA and make a one time donation. Please make your check out to FFEDA and designate in the memo line (or attachment) that it is meant for The Children's Burn Foundation of Florida. We will make sure that you are recognized as a donor!

Call for Past Presidents

Have you or a family member been a FFEDA president during the past 50 years? If so, we want to know. Please email the FFEDA office at ffeda@executiveoffice.org with the names and years served. We will recognize past presidents during the 2013 conference and would love to have everyone listed!

Keep an eye out

for next month's issue of the Flame where we will highlight more exciting events that will be happening during our 2013 Annual Conference, Trade Show & 50th Anniversary Celebration!

Monday, March 11, 2013

A-Gas RemTec has a 24 Hour Platinum Recharge Service for Halon 1301,
HFC-227ea, HFC-125 and Novec 1230. Our Green Team provides RemTec Quick Quotes
within an hour of your request. We handle all types of situations and provide
the quickest turnaround. We have a large inventory of refurbished system bottles
from many leading manufacturers. Any day of the week, no matter the time A-Gas RemTec
is on-call 24 hours for you. Your emergency is our top priority.

A-Gas RemTec also purchases used and unwanted Halon 1301, Halon 1211, HFC-236fa,
HFC-125 and Novec 1230. We handle the shipping charges and prepare all of the
documentation involved.

A-Gas RemTec can handle any cylinder, any where, coast to coast.

Contact Terri
AuFrance, Sandy Hoffman and the Green Team for more information and Quick
Quotes.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Presenters at today's Suppression, Detection and Signaling Research and Applications Conference (SUPDET) In Orlando highlighted how the U.S. Air Force has developed replacements for the fire suppression agent Halon 1301 to protect "hush houses," or jet engine noise suppressor systems.

The need to find an equivalency to Halon 1301 appears to be an environmental one--the agent is classified as an ozone-depleting substance. (The European Union discontinued use of Halon for noncritical applications in 2003.) SUPDET speakers Juan Font with the U.S. Air Force and William Meyring of 3M also outlined the steps taken to phase out the cleaning agent and develop alternative system solutions for the Air Force's critical facility. Read an overview of the presentation.

FSSA announced the launch of a new On-line
Training Program designed to educate and train personnel within the fire
suppression industry. This new initiative, according to Shawn Mullen, Protex
Central, FSSA Training Committee, "will enable member companies and
others to take advantage of on-line training at a very reasonable cost. We
are very enthused about the benefits of the Training Program and what it
means to many people in their career educational path."The Training Program is a result of several
years work and effort of many people. It is divided in to four work areas:
two basic and two advanced.

These custom courses are based on our products, procedures, practices and
systems. FSSA has teamed with Flex Training to offer training that adapts to
a person's learning. It is a collaborative model that offers:* Multimedia, learner exercises, quizzes,
exams
* Easy-to-master planning and tracking tools
* Training based on solid educational best practices by course development
experts
* Template-based learning with consistent outcomes and knowledge retentionAfter satisfying the elements and testing
in each work area, students will receive a certificate of completion.
For a listing of the four work areas and related elements, as well as pricing
information, please click here.FSSA thanks all of those persons assisting
in this effort including David McGlynn, Derek Wester, Tom Wysocki, Dan
Hubert, George Keeley, and Shawn Mullen.A FSSA Member company may purchase a
"seat license" for an employee of the company. This seat license
can be used for one level or all four levels. There is no expiration
date for the seat license. A company may purchase as many seat licenses as it
wishes. The seat license would be dedicated to a specific individual and
would not be transferrable.

FSSA's New Officers

The Fire Suppression Systems Association
(FSSA) elected officers and directors to lead the organization. Dale Kent, 3M
Corporation, was elected president and will serve a one-year term. Eric
Burkland, Healey Fire Protection, was elected Vice President, while Tim
Carman, Tyco Fire Protection, will serve as Secretary Treasurer, also for
one-year terms. Carla Pizzarello, Advanced Safety Systems, will continue to
serve on the Board of Directors as Immediate Past President.In the Installers Division, Bill Blanchard,
Great Lakes Building Systems, was elected Chair, and Anna Gavin, Fireline
Corporation was elected Vice Chair. Eric Burkland; Rick Scott, BFPE
International; and John Lawlor, Keystone Fire Protection, were elected to the
Board of Directors for a two-year term ending in 2015. Steve Carter, Orr
Protection Systems; Roddy Bieber, Api Systems Group; and Matt Euson, 3S Inc.,
continue to serve on the Board for an additional year.Paul Harris, Honeywell Fire Systems, was
elected Chair for another one-year term, as was Jon Demeter, Wesco HMB, as
Vice Chair of the Manufacturers Division. Gerry Connolly, UTC Climate,
Controls and Security; Helen Lowery, DuPont Fluoroproducts; and Bill
Howerton, Fike Corporation, were re-elected to the FSSA Board of Directors
for a two-year term ending in 2015. Joe Ziemba, 3M Coporation, was named
Marketing Committee Chair; Jonathan Ingram, UTC, will serve as Membership
Chair; Carla Pizzarello will tackle the FSSA Program activities; and Shawn
Mullen will continue to serve as Chair of the FSSA Training Program, with the
help of Steve Foulk, Comprehensive Fire Technologies as Vice Chair.

Representatives
for FSSA on NFPA Committees - Applications Due to FSSA by March 15, 2013

FSSA is currently accepting applications for the FSSA Principal positions on the following NFPA Committees:

If you are interested in representing FSSA on any of the committees listed
above, please complete the application below and return it to FSSA
headquarters by Noon Eastern Time – March 15, 2013 by fax: 410-931-8111 or
via email: vincem@clemonsmgmt.com.

• Click here for
the NFPA Application (return to FSSA, not NFPA)The FSSA
Technical Committee will review the applications and will make a recommendation
to the Board of Directors for final approval. FSSA will then be submitting
its recommended representatives to NFPA for review.

If you have any questions, please call FSSA Headquarters at (410) 931-8100.
Thank you.

Technical
Committee Meeting Minutes

The FSSA Technical Committee held their
meeting on Friday, February 22, 2013 during the FSSA Annual Forum in Bonita
Springs, Florida. There were over 30 people in attendance.

Roger and Carolyn Bourgeois, Bourgeois
& Associates, Inc, Houma, LA, score a 100% rating for attending EVERY
FSSA Annual Meeting and Forum since 1982. Roger and Carolyn have not missed
one meeting since FSSA's founding!! Bourgeois & Associates, Inc. is a
Charter Member of FSSA, and Roger Bourgeois is a past president of the
organization. Congratulations Roger and Carolyn!!

Are You an FSSA Ambassador?

Interested in passing along information on
FSSA to prospective members? FSSA has printed cards proclaiming “WHY Join the
FSSA” with information on member benefits. If you would like a stack of cards
mailed to you so that you can distribute them to your colleagues, please
contact FSSA
Headquarters.

Lenmark
Receives FSSA Leadership Award

The award
is generally presented at the Fire Suppression Systems Association's Annual
Meeting, but since Voigt and Mary Jean were vacationing in Maui during the
meeting, the FSSA Board of Directors voted unanimously to present this
special award during his retirement party on November 17, 2012, during his
retirement party.Voigt “V2”
Lenmark Jr was presented with the FSSA Leadership Award and is now the
fourth recipient in the fire suppression industry to receive this award. The
FSSA Leadership Award recognizes those individuals who have displayed
leadership and dedication to the industry.

Voigt was a founder of FSSA and served in several positions including
president in 1992. His steadfastness and business acumen helped not only his
company but FSSA as well, especially during the formative years of the
association. Voigt led by example and blazed a trail for FSSA when times were
difficult. He proved that the association was indeed a valuable entity, and
today FSSA is stronger and more vital than ever.

After 43 years in the fire protection business, FSSA congratulates V2 and
wishes both him and Mary Jean a happy retirement! V2 officially retired at
the end of December 2012.

About Me

Established in 1986, A-Gas Americas (Formerly RemTec International) offers products and services that reduce ozone depletion and global warming. Our primary mission is to buy used CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs and Halons and reclaim them to industry standards. All CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs and Halons are banked and then offered for sale to our customers with full laboratory certifications.
Refrigerants such as R-11, R-12, R-22, R-134a and the 400 and 500 series blends and Halon 1211, Halon 1301 and Halon 2402 are high in ozone depleting potential (ODP), or are high in global warming potential (GWP). All of these halocarbons pose a threat to our environment, and are a major global concern. A-Gas Americas maintains our commitment to environ-mental protection through innovative reclamation of these chemicals.